We are off to Idaho today. Hopefully we will find a place to spend the holiday weekend. If not a wide spot on the side of the road will have to do. As long as it has a nice view, we don't really care. We have all we need in the old bread wagon. I call it a wagon now because we are in Oregon Trail territory and that seems more fitting.
We might be out of range of phones and internet for a few days. Check in on us from time to time. I will catch up when I have a connection. God Bless and Happy Independence Day.
We made our way over to the Sunrise Inn where we were to meet Tina and her family for breakfast. I haven’t seen her in several years and I have never met her husband and children. Soon they arrived bearing gifts.
Tina brought us some frozen huckleberries, homemade blackberry jam and some huckleberry jam. We have never had a huckleberry and look forward to trying some.
When Tina told us some years ago she was going to move to Oregon and marry Jim I had my doubts how a Florida girl would take to the northwest. She has taken to it like a tick to a deer. She loves it out here. She has a very nice man for a husband who is clearly a good father and family man. The children are good looking kids as you can see in the photo below. They are very polite and friendly. Tina has a beautiful family. We are so happy for her.
They are avid hunters. They have bagged elk, bear, deer and mountain lions. They shared some of their hunting stories with us. The kids said they can't wait to join them in the woods. They will be old enough this year.
Tina is a gal of many talents. One of her most impressive talents is making life like newborn baby dolls. They look alive they are so well done. http://www.freewebs.com/heavensgardenofangels/aboutme.htm
Our time with them went by very fast but it was a time I will remember the rest of my days.
We set out from Baker City leaving its beautiful green hills and snow capped mountains behind. We were on our way to Idaho. As we traveled our route plans changed. I love it when we make plans and then they get changed. We decided to turn up Rt 55 off from I 84 and work our way over to Rt 21 which is supposed to be a scenic highway.
As we left the valley and entered the mountains I felt the excitement build being back on the crooked mountain roads. The interstate is so boring. We avoid as many as possible.
In the canyon beside us rafters were careening down the rapids of the Payette River. Darlie was in the back window snapping pictures of rafters and rapids. The water was racing and leaping over huge boulders midstream, the blue green water bursting into mountains of white froth.
From Rt 55 we were to turn onto a secondary road that would take us over too Rt. 21.
The Payette River made the turn with us. We passed dozens more rafters dropping their brightly color rafts into the swirling water.
After traveling several miles, we rounded a bend and there was Hot Spring Campground on our right. It was a small Department of Agriculture campground having only 8 sites. It looked like our kind of place. It was heavily wooded with a steep evergreen covered mountain rising up behind it. Across the road the Payette raced along its course. We could hear the rushing of the water from the campsite.
While down at the registration booth paying for our site, I noticed a sign posted that said, “No Hot Springs Here. Go Across The Road.” A poster next to the sign told of the volcanic history of this area. Bubbling hot springs rise up all around the area some with temperatures as hot as 180 degrees.
While walking back up to the MH, I noticed a car pull off the road across from the campground. The occupants got out in swimsuits and headed down the steep bank to the river. I know this river is fed by snowmelt and must be too cold for swimming, at least for Floridians. I wondered if there might be a hot spring down there.
I told Darlie about my discovery. We set out for the riverbank to see what was down there. Looking down over the bank we could see the river rushing by. Right at the edge of the shore was a crystal clear pool of water. We walked down the path to the pool. Water was running out of the bank into the pool. The excess spilled over the rocks into the river. I dipped my hand in the water and found it to be about 120 degrees or so. Darlie promptly took off her socks and soaked her feet while I explored along the shoreline of the stream. Later I joined her for a foot soak. It did feel real nice.
So here we are again in a place we didn’t know existed with a natural attraction adjacent to the location. The Lord has not failed us one time. He always has a special place for us each day. This has been a very special day indeed.
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